Liverpool and Egypt star Mohamed Salah won the FIFA Puskas Award for scoring the most aesthetically significant, or most beautiful, goal of the year. Salah won the award for his curling effort against Everton in the Premier League last December. He became the first African player to win the award. Salah received 38% of the votes.
He beat out both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to win the award. Messi was nominated for his goal against Nigeria at the World Cup while Ronaldo got nominated for his Champions League goal against Juventus.
Gareth Bale also got a nomination for his overhead kick in the Champions League Final against Liverpool. Messi’s goal was one of four nominated World Cup goals. Benjamin Pavard’s strike against Argentina in the round of 16 which was named the Goal of the Tournament got nominated. Denis Cheryshev’s strike against Croatia and Ricardo Quaresma’s goal also got nominated.
The other nominated goals were Lazaros Christodoulopoulos’ goal against Olympiacos and Giorgian de Arrascaeta’s goal against America Mineiro.
